A Transformed Life
Isaiah 57-59; Psalms 103; 2 Peter 3
“Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”
Psalm 103:1-5
God’s mission is to bring life and renewal to all who respond to his offer of forgiveness and a new life. God offers us forgiveness, healing, redemption, satisfaction, and renewal in exchange for our repentance and the full surrender of our will to God. This is a holistic Gospel which speaks to all of life and every area of our lives. The Psalmist praises the Lord for all his benefits, but they are only found in a relationship with him, not in an “a la carte” menu. The Gospel is the good news that Jesus transforms and redeems and has all authority. There is so much joy, love, and mercy in knowing Jesus and experiencing his freedom, but the small door that leads to this life requires that we die to self and all of the props we have used to manage our sin and our life as we know it. On the other side of that door is abundant life.
Have we found it, and has Christ found us?
“Lord Jesus, all I am is praising you for your life in me and for freedom to live on mission with you, for your glory.”